Swearing-in ceremony of new ministers
The Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Mrs. Anandiben Patel, on the advice of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has given ministerial posts to Mr. Jitin Prasad and Mr. Chhatrapal Singh Gangwar, Mr. Palturam, Dr. Sangeeta Balwant, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Mr. Dinesh Khatik and Mr. Dharamvir Singh as ministers of state took oath. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Raj Bhavan here today. After taking oath, the Governor and the Chief Minister also felicitated the newly appointed ministers by giving flowers to them. On this occasion, members of the State Cabinet, other public representatives, Chief Secretary Shri RK Tiwari and senior officers were present.
Chief Minister addressed the farmers’ conference
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state government is ready to take all possible steps to bring about a massive positive change in the lives of farmers. He said that the state government has decided to increase the sugarcane price in the interest of sugarcane farmers. The sugarcane price of Rs. 325 per quintal is being increased by Rs. 350 per quintal, normal sugarcane price of Rs. 315 per quintal is being increased by Rs. 340 per quintal and unsuitable sugarcane by Rs. 25 per quintal. With this increase in sugarcane price, there will be an additional 08 percent increase in the income of 45 lakh sugarcane farmers of the state.
He expressed confidence that farmers would make the state a leading state in the country by increasing their production capacity, encouraged by various schemes run by the Central and State Governments. The Chief Minister was addressing the farmers’ conference organized yesterday. The Chief Minister was welcomed by in the Kisan Sammelan. Welcoming the farmers to the Kisan Sammelan, the Chief Minister said that the Annadata farmer produces food by working hard. Food is the basis of the life cycle. It is an act of virtue by the farmer to produce food for all without discrimination by his hard work and effort. Earlier, after inaugurating the exhibition organized by the Department of Agriculture, he also visited the exhibition. The products of agricultural producer organizations, modern agricultural implements, stubble management methods, organic agricultural products etc. were displayed in the exhibition.
The Chief Minister said that in the year 2014, when Shri Narendra Modi ji became the Prime Minister, the country got lucky. The government led by the Prime Minister worked for the villages, poor, youth, women and all sections of the society. With the aim of taking care of the health of Mother Earth, he issued the Soil Health Card. Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Sinchai Yojana were operated for the benefit and welfare of the farmers. In the year 2017, after the present state government came to power, the first decision was taken to waive off the loans of 86 lakh small and marginal farmers of the state amounting to Rs.36 thousand crore. The Chief Minister said that the state moves on the path of progress and prosperity due to the happiness of the Annadata farmer. For this purpose, the present State Government has implemented Procurement Policy in April, 2017 to eliminate middlemen and purchase their agricultural products directly from the farmers.
In the last four and a half years, record quantity of agricultural produce has been procured from the farmers in the state. The previous government paid Rs 12,808 crore to 19,02,098 farmers for wheat procurement at MSP. The present government paid Rs 36,405 crore to 43,75,574 farmers in a tenure of four and a half years. The Chief Minister said that when the present government came to power in the year 2017, the sugarcane price payment of the farmers for the tenure of the previous governments from the year 2009-10 to the year 2018-19 was arrears. Due to this the area under sugarcane was shrinking. The present government started the operation of closed sugar mills in the interest of sugarcane farmers and established new plants in place of the sugar mills sold by the previous governments at Pipraich, Munderwa, Ramala.
Along with this, the payment of the outstanding cane price was ensured. In the last four-and-a-half years, farmers were paid the cane price of Rs. 01 lakh 44 thousand crore. Instructions have been given for payment of sugarcane price and operation of sugar mills by November 30, 2021. During the COVID-19 period, when the sugar industry was being affected in the country and the world, the present state government got all the 119 sugar mills operating in the state using technology. As long as sugarcane was available in the farmers’ fields, sugar mills were run. The Chief Minister said that the Central and State Governments made policies keeping in mind the interest of the farmers.
In the year 1918, the Spanish flu caused a large number of deaths due to illness as well as starvation. In the time of COVID-19, the state government acted following the Prime Minister’s resolve to save the lives and livelihoods of the countrymen. No person died of hunger in the country and the state. During the pandemic, free food grains are being provided to 80 crore people of the country and 15 crore people of the state from April, 2020 to November, 2020 and from May, 2021 to November, 2021 through Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for providing free food grains and vaccines to the people of the state, the Chief Minister said that the state has so far succeeded in providing more than 10 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Due to this, the infection has almost ended in the state.
He said that along with taking precautions and vigilance regarding COVID-19 infection, effective efforts will continue to save life and livelihood. The state government has withdrawn the cases filed against the farmers for burning stubble. The Chief Minister said that under the leadership and guidance of the Prime Minister, continuous steps were taken in the interest of farmers besides saving the lives and livelihoods of the country and the people of the state. The Prime Minister announced that the farmer would get one and a half times the cost for 24 commodities. The amount for the purchase of agricultural produce made on the minimum support price was paid in the account of the farmer.
Through the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi, all the farmers without discrimination are being provided with financial assistance. A total of 02 crore 54 lakh farmers are getting benefited from this in the state. The Chief Minister said that effective steps have been taken to provide better means of irrigation to the farmers. Farmers have been benefitted under Solar Pump and Khet-Talab Yojana. The Bansagar project, which was pending for years, was completed and started. Arjun Sagar project is almost ready. Efforts are being made to dedicate it to the nation from the Prime Minister next month. Saryu canal project is almost complete. Apart from this, various projects including Pahari Dam, Jamrar Dam, Rasin Dam have been completed.
The Chief Minister said that in the Terai and Vindhya region there is often conflict between farmers and wild animals. Declaring it a disaster, the state government also made arrangements to give Rs. 04 lakh to the dependents of the person who died in the attack of wild animals or Rs. 5 lakh under the farmer’s insurance scheme. A concrete scheme will be implemented soon through one-time solution scheme by waiving interest in respect of electricity bills of farmers. The Prime Minister did not allow the increase in the rate of DAP and urea by increasing the rate of subsidy. Timely supply of fertilizers and electricity to the farmers was ensured. The Chief Minister said that the state government has strengthened the law and order situation in the state.
At present the farmer’s motor is safe in the field, no one can take it. There has been no riot in the state in the last four and a half years. Illegal slaughter houses have been closed. Destitute cow shelter sites are being operated by the state government. It has also been arranged that any willing farmer can keep 04 cows out of destitute cows for his upkeep. For this, arrangement has been made to provide him Rs 900 per cow per month. To ensure the availability of milk for malnourished women or malnourished children, arrangements have been made to give a destitute cow progeny on their wish. There is also a provision to provide them Rs 900 per month for the maintenance of this cow.
While addressing the conference, Agriculture Minister Shri Surya Pratap Shahi said that the Central and State Governments have continuously worked for the progress and prosperity of the country and society and for the upliftment of all sections. The present state government in its first cabinet decided to waive the loans of farmers. A large quantity of their produce was purchased from the farmers at the minimum support price. Presently the state is number one in the production of wheat, sugarcane, potato, vegetables, fruits etc. due to the effective incentives being given to the farmers by the state government. Due to timely availability of fertilizers, seeds and water to the farmers, the state tops in the production of food grains in the country.
Sugarcane Development Minister Suresh Rana in his address said that the previous governments sold and closed sugar mills. Under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the present government got the closed sugar mills operated. In the interest of sugarcane farmers, all 119 sugar mills were operated while taking necessary vigilance during the COVID-19 period. The crushing capacity of more than 18 sugar mills has been increased. The Chief Minister got the cane price arrears paid during the previous governments. In the last four and a half years, payment of sugarcane price of Rs. 01 lakh 44 thousand crore has been made.
With the grant of license to Khandsari industries, the crushing capacity has increased in a big way. Former Union Minister and MP Shri Radha Mohan Singh, MP Shri Rajkumar Chahar, Member of Legislative Council Shri Swatantra Dev Singh also addressed the Kisan Sammelan. On this occasion, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women Welfare Smt. Swati Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Horticulture Shri Ram Chouhan, Minister of State for Agriculture Shri Lakhan Singh Rajput and other public representatives, senior officials of the administration and a large number of farming community were present. Shri Kameshwar Singh welcomed the guests in the conference. The program was conducted by Shri Ghanshyam Patel. Shri Sudhir Singh, Shri Rambabu Dwivedi and Shri Satender Tughana welcomed the guests on stage.
COVID-19 infection in the state is under control due to the effective strategies by the government; says CM
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that as a result of the effective strategy of the state government, the COVID-19 infection in the state is under a controlled condition. After the effective control of the second wave of COVID-19 in the state, life is fast returning to normal. COVID-19 infection is not over yet. So even a little carelessness can cost a lot. He has given instructions to effectively continue the system of prevention and treatment of COVID-19. The Chief Minister was reviewing the situation of COVID-19 in the state in a high level meeting convened at his official residence here today.
In the meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised that in the last 24 hours, 11 new cases of COVID-19 infection have been reported in the state. During this period 12 persons were discharged after successful treatment. At present, the number of active cases of COVID-19 in the state is 176. District Aligarh, Amethi, Amroha, Auraiya, Ayodhya, Azamgarh, Badaun, Baghpat, Ballia, Banda, Bahraich, Bijnor, Farrukhabad, Ghazipur, Gonda, Hamirpur, Hapur, Hardoi, Hathras, Kanpur Dehat, Kasganj, Mahoba, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar, Pilibhit, Rampur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Shamli, Shravasti, Sitapur and Sonbhadra do not have a single COVID-19 patient.
The recovery rate of COVID-19 infection in the state is 98.7 percent. In the last 24 hours, 2,17,730 COVID-19 tests were conducted in the state. So far, 07 crore 77 lakh 98 thousand 860 COVID-19 tests have been completed in the state. Giving instructions to conduct the COVID-19 vaccination work with full force, the Chief Minister said that the COVID-19 vaccination is an important protective shield in the prevention of infection. In the meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised that the process of COVID-19 vaccination is going on at a fast pace in the state. Till last day, more than 10 crore 02 lakh 89 thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the state. This is the highest vaccination done in any state.
The Chief Minister directed to make the statewide surveillance program more effective in respect of dengue and other viral diseases. Patients suspected of fever and other signs of infection should be identified and given proper counseling. Adequate availability of beds and medicines should be maintained in hospitals. The Chief Minister was apprised that a state-wide communicable disease control campaign would be conducted from October 17 to November 16, 2021. The Chief Minister said that during this time the general public should be made aware about communicable diseases. The Chief Minister said that the present government is working to give a shape to the concept of ‘Gram Swaraj’ given by the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. In view of this, on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, special meetings of Gram Panchayats should be organized in the entire state, in which the Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission should be discussed.
He said that on this occasion a meaningful discussion should also be held regarding making villages self-dependent. The Chief Minister said that in the flood-affected districts, the Agriculture and Revenue Departments should jointly assess the damage to agricultural crops and make arrangements to compensate them as per rules. He said that immediate ration and other necessary assistance should be provided to the people affected by floods/excessive rains.
